1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device suitable for fast operation, and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a high speed operation of a device is most important for a high frequency semiconductor circuit. Higher operating speeds are possible as device size is reduced. But there are operational problems associated with reduced device size. To solve this, a related art suppresses ajunction capacitance between a base and a collector using selective epitaxial layer growth and a floating poly base, plus a thick insulating film is provided on a bottom of the floating poly base for reduction of a parasitic capacitance.
A related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device will be explained with reference to the attached drawings. FIGS. 1Axcx9c1I illustrate sections showing the steps of a related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device.
Referring to FIG. 1A, the related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device starts with selective implantation, and drive diffusing, of N+ impurity ions into an entire surface of a P type semiconductor substrate 11, to form a heavily doped N type well region 12 in the surface of the semiconductor substrate 11. A CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) oxide film 13 is formed on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 11 inclusive of the heavily doped N type well region 12. A first polysilicon layer 14 is deposited on the CVD oxide film 13 for use as a floating base, and subjected to pattering by photolithography and etching. As shown in FIG. 1B, a first insulating film 15 is formed on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 11 inclusive of the first polysilicon layer 14. Then, the first insulating film 15, the first polysilicon layer 14 and the CVD oxide film 13 are selectively removed to form a hole 27 that exposes a portion of the N type well region 12. The remaining CVD oxide film 13 is used for isolation of devices, and surfaces of the N type well region 12 on both sides of the CVD oxide film 13 at a center portion thereof are exposed.
As shown in FIG. 1C, a second insulating film is formed in the contact hole 27 and subjected to etch back to form second insulating sidewalls 16 at edges of the first insulating film 15, the first polysilicon layer 14, and the CVD oxide film 13. The exposed semiconductor substrate 11 is used as seeds in making an epitaxial growth to form a lightly doped n type first epitaxial layer 17 on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 11. The epitaxial growth using the semiconductor substrate as seeds changes the surface of the semiconductor substrate into a projected form, with a lightly doped n type epitaxial layer 17 grown on the surface.
As shown in FIG. 1D, the second insulating film sidewalls 16 at edges of the first insulating film 15 and the first polysilicon layer 14 are selectively removed. As shown in FIG. 1E, the first polysilicon layer 14 and the first epitaxial layer 17 are used as seeds in making an epitaxial growth of the semiconductor substrate 11 in vertical and horizontal directions, to grow a P type second epitaxial layer 18.
As shown in FIG. 1F, impurity ions are selectively implanted into the second epitaxial layer 18, to form a P type base region 19 and an N+ collector contact region 20, respectively. Then, a thermal oxidation is conducted, to form a third insulating film 21 on surfaces of the P type base region 19 and the N+collector contact region 20.
As shown in FIG. 1G, a fourth insulating film is formed on the exposed surfaces of the structure of FIG. 1F, and etched back to form fourth insulating film sidewalls 22 at both edges of the first insulating film 15 while exposing a portion of the underlying base region 19. In this instance, the fourth insulating film is overetched to expose the surface of the base region 19 by also selectively removing a portion of the third insulating film 21 formed on a surface of the base region 19. The fourth insulating film sidewalls 22 are used to form an emitter in the base region 19 in a self-aligned manner, as follows.
As shown in FIG. 1H, the fourth insulating film sidewalls 22 and the first insulating film 15 are used as masks to self-align the implementation of N+ impurity ions, and so form an N+ emitter region 23 in a surface of the base region 19, i.e., a first intermediate structure. Then, a second polysilicon layer 24 is deposited on the exposed surfaces of the first intermediate structure, and subjected to photolithography and etching to selectively leave the second polysilicon layer 24 only on the emitter region 23, the N+ collector region 20 and the first insulating film 15 adjacent thereto. As shown in FIG. 1I, a general metal wiring is formed on the intermediate structure of FIG. 1H, to form metal wiring 25 on the semiconductor substrate 11, thereby completing the related art fabrication process. The metal wiring 25 is formed to connect the second polysilicon layer 24 to the first polysilicon layer 14.
However, the related art method for fabricating a semiconductor device has a problem in that the thick oxide film 13 on the bottom of the floating poly base 14 results in the thick N-epitaxial layer 17 (over 1 xcexcm) that affects the maximum speed that the device can operate. That is, the excessively thick N-epitaxial layer 17 deteriorates the maximum speed of operation under low voltage conditions.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same, which operates well operative at a high speed.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present to invention, as embodied and broadly described, a semiconductor device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film formed discontinuously on the semiconductor substrate so as to leave at least one gap where the semiconductor substrate is exposed, the insulating film having first portions below a surface of the semiconductor substrate and second portions above the surface of the semiconductor substrate, respectively, and a semiconductor layer formed on the semiconductor substrate at one of the at least one gap in said insulation film, a height of said semiconductor layer being equal to a height of the insulating film.
In other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating a semiconductor device. Such a method comprises oxidizing a substrate to form an insulating film having at least one gap where the substrate is exposed, and forming a semiconductor layer on the substrate at one of the at least one gap in the insulating film, a height of the semiconductor layer being equal to a height of the insulating film.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.